Stages

Research suggests it can take from two to four years to fully and successfully operationalize an evidence-based program, practice, or effective innovation (Bierman et al., 2002; Fixsen, Blase, Timbers, & Wolf, 2001; Panzano & Roth, 2006; Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982; Saldana et al., 2011). The timer starts when an organization begins to consider change and ends when the change is fully in place and producing intended outcomes in all programs or sites in the community or state. The process includes four Stages that can lead to the long-term survival (sustainability) and continued effectiveness of any innovation in the context of a changing world.

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Active Implementation Learner Pathways

Learning pathways in implementation science serve as structured routes for individuals to effectively acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to translate evidence-based interventions into real-world settings.

Activity: Getting started with Implementation Stages

How do you start engaging in stage-based implementation activities? Review the Active Implementation Overview material on Implementation Stages, then consider these questions. We encourage you to discuss these with your team and/or to write down your responses.

Handout: Implementation Stages One-Pager

Implementation Stages outline the integrated, non-linear process of deciding to use an effective innovation and having it fully in place to realize outcomes. Active implementation stages are Exploration, Installation, Initial Implementation and Full Implementation.

Implementation Stages Overview (Module 4)

Formally known as "modules" on the AI Hub, we have condensed the information into document overviews. As you begin your journey, take a moment to read about the Stages of Implementation (exploration, installation, initial implementation, and full implementation).

Tool: Implementation Stages Planning

The Implementation Stages Planning tool supports the identification of the current stage of implementation, as well as supports planning and improvement.

Dive Deeper: Read

Active Implementation Early Childhood Specialist Toolkit

The Active Implementation Early Childhood Specialist Toolkit was developed to help Head Start Early Childhood Specialists conduct implementation-informed process consultation and build Head Start Grantees' capacity. The toolkit contains tools and resources to help grantees use implementation best practices in their work.

Community School Strategy Implementation Roadmap

Handout: District Readiness – Examples from Practice

The Greater Louisville Education Cooperative supports Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in developing a critical perspective data report using the district data stored in the Kentucky Data Dashboard. JCPS has 150 schools with more than 101,000 students.

Handout: Implementation Stages One-Pager

Implementación de prácticas basadas en la evidencia

This guide is a resource that has been developed in Spain, taking as a reference different resources to help broaden the focus of action in the implementation of evidence-based practices, knowing the stages and steps to follow and the necessary elements of the system for a successful implementation of the program.

Implementation Stages Overview (Module 4)

Improved Mathematics Outcomes using Active Implementation: Kentucky’s Effective and Durable Change

Kentucky educators defy the odds with focus, persistence, and a collective commitment to results-driven accountability. This brief presents the results from a quasi-experimental study to evaluate four school districts' efforts to improve mathematics achievement for priority populations.

Preparing for Implementation: Running Your Own Race

SISEP Blog: Preparing for Implementation: Running Your Own Race

Scaling-Up Brief 3: Readiness for Change

The purpose of this Brief is to define the variables a state or district leadership team may wish to consider as they determine if they are ready to invest in the scaling-up of innovation in education.

Scaling-Up Brief 4: Exploration Stage

Exploration Stage processes are designed to assure mutually informed agreement to proceed with use of an innovation; both the Implementation Team and the organization understand what is to be done, how it will be done, and the resources and timelines for doing it.

Why Intentional Planning is Needed for Scaling

SISEP Blog: Why Intentional Planning is Needed for Scaling

Dive Deeper: Watch

Implementation Quick Start

This 5-minute presentation provides a quick overview of Implementation Science and the National Implementation Research Network's Active Implementation Frameworks.

Voices from the Field Video Series (Initial Implementation)

Voices from the Field Video Series: Initial Implementation

Voices from the Field Video Series (Installation Stage)

Voices from the Field Video Series (Rationale for Active Implementation)

Voices from the Field Video Series: Rationale for Active Implementation

Voices from the Field Video Series (Sustainability)

Voices from the Field Video Series: Sustainability

Dive Deeper: Listen

Implementation Science for Educators Podcast (Implementation Reflections)

Implementation Science for Educators Podcast: Implementation Reflections

Dive Deeper: Reflect

Activity: Exploring with the Initiative Inventory

Before starting something new, reviewing what already exists and how your district uses existing resources is important. This activity can help delineate how much is already being asked of staff and determine if the new will fit the existing.

Activity: Getting started with Implementation Stages

Activity: Implementation Stages Elevator Speech

After reviewing the Implementation Stages Overview, create a 3-minute elevator speech for district leadership, a superintendent, or a principal explaining the importance of purposefully moving through the Implementation Stages.

Activity: Using the Implementation Stages Planning Tool

Using the Stages of Implementation Analysis tool, think of a current initiative at your site and consider which components of the Exploration Stage were in place, partially in place or not in place when it was first launched. How about now?

Activity: Which Stage is this effort in?

Review a set of 5 scenarios. For each scenario mark one of the following:
A) Exploration B) Installation C) Initial Implementation D) Full Implementation E) None of these

Activity: Working Agreements (Terms of Reference)

Implementation Teams use Terms of Reference (ToR) or Working Agreements to clarify the team's work, help the team stay on mission and orient new members. You can use this activity with your team to organize and articulate a ToR/Working Agreement.

ImpleMap: Exploring the Implementation Landscape

When creating active implementation capacity in an organization, the first task is to map the current landscape. The ImpleMap interview process assists implementation specialists in collecting information to inform active implementation planning and development.

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Implementation Stages: Action Plan

An action plan is simply a way of guiding the implementation team's discussion and identification of the next right steps in implementing your program, then holding yourselves accountable for accomplishing those activities within a specified timeline.